East Coast Italian ice chain coming to O.C.

This short rib pappardelle (cremini mushroom + parmigiano ) is being offered as a dinner entree choice at Cucina Enoteca during Irvine Restaurant Week. The event kicks off Jan. 11. COURTESY ENOTECA

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The honey roasted eggplant and herb goat cheese pizza at Cucina Enoteca is topped with pistachio pesto, balsamic onions and pine nuts. This pizza is among 10 signature pies being offered during Irvine Restaurant Week. Besides the pizza, diners get a starter and dessert for $25. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

My first experience with Italian ice was during an agonizingly hot day in Philadelphia two years ago.

The fruit-flavored ice appeared to defy science. It's frozen, but semi-liquid at the same time. Mine was served in a waxy Dixie-cup style container with a spoon. You can drink it or scoop it.

I gulped mine for instant relief – not caring about the brain-freeze that would follow.

My strawberry-flavored ice was a welcome treat, and I look forward to more options coming to Orange County this year.

Locally, one of the best-known water ice shops is Joe's Italian Ice in Garden Grove. But soon Joe's will face a bigger and better-known rival with the West Coast expansion of Rita's Italian Ice. The Pennsylvania-based chain is planning to open 40 Orange County shops over the next few years.

The first Rita's, founded 28 years ago by a Philadelphia firefighter, will debut this year at Kaleidoscope in Mission Viejo.

"I've lived all over the world, and I've never had anything like this product," said Rita's chief executive, Jonathan Fornaci.

During a phone interview, Fornaci explained what makes the frozen treat special.

Q. What is Italian ice?

A. It's not shaved ice. It's not a snow cone. It's water, fruit (purées) and sugar and you put it into a special machine that cools it to 22 degrees. It's frozen but it is still semi-liquid. Our product lasts for 24 hours. We make it fresh daily.

Q. How many flavors?

A. 67 flavors. Normally, you have 16 standard flavors in a store.

Q. Tell me about your custard, which is growing in popularity in Southern California.

A. It's made from a supplier in New Jersey and shipped all over the world. We use so much butter fat in it. If you're going to indulge, indulge in the best possible you can get. The level of fanaticism is similar, if not equal, to In-N-Out Burger. It is unbelievable. We have a number of products that mix custard and ice.

It's January, so it is time for various cities to host "restaurant week" specials. Typically, this month is the slowest time of year for the industry, which is also still reeling from the Great Recession. Restaurant weeks lure diners with special three-course meals and discounts.

Irvine Restaurant Week kicks off Friday and runs through Jan. 17. About 35 eateries, including some from Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Tustin, are participating. Meal deals that caught my eye include a $21.95 three-course lunch at The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar in Tustin and a $25 three-course dinner at Cucina Enoteca.

At The Winery, the entree selections include choice of The Winery Corkscrew Pasta, Pacific Snapper a la Plancha or the "Grand Cru" Kobe-style beef burger. At Enoteca, the three-courser includes a choice of 10 signature pizzas plus a starter and dessert. I also like the $20 lunch meal at Andrei's in Irvine. The three-course menu includes seasonal dishes such as mushroom soup and an artichoke and chorizo flatbread.

Not surprisingly, the lackluster turnout comes with disappointing menu specials. Last year, Nello offered a hearty three-course lunch for $12. This year, the South Coast Plaza eatery is giving 13 percent off a diner's meal. AnQi and Old Vine Café are giving 12 percent and 10 percent discounts, respectively. What happened to showing off your best dishes with a coursed meal?

At La Cave, "a specific entree will be discounted at least 10 percent" each night. I'm sorry, but no one is going to be lured to this traditional steakhouse based on the chance of getting a mystery dish discounted.

Come on, Costa Mesa – stop being lazy and do a better job of promoting your fine restaurants. Hopefully, the city will step up during next month's Orange County Restaurant Week.

Newport Beach Restaurant Week starts Jan. 18. The 10-day event features some of the county's best restaurants. The Register's writers will comb through the menus and make recommendations in next week's Food section.

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